It’s a very interesting time to be qualifying for the Champions League as UEFA are introducing some significant changes for the 2024/25 competition. Gone are the eight groups of four in favour of an expanded league phase featuring 36 clubs, all in one league. Instead of each club playing six matches, one each home and away against three group opponents, they’ll now play eight games against eight different opponents; four at home and four away.

In order to provide as balanced fixture list as possible, the 36 clubs will be seeded into four pots of nine. Each of the 36 clubs will be drawn to play two clubs from each pot; one at home, the other away. Additionally, clubs can’t be drawn against other clubs from their own country, as was the case in the old format. No club can be drawn against more than two clubs from the same country.

Naturally, such a draw would be too complex and time consuming to draw entirely from bowls, so it will be computer-aided. The draw will take place in Monaco on the 29th August.

Villa’s UEFA coefficient score is poor, obviously, placing us in Pot 4. Here’s an important difference from the old system: in a group of four we’d be facing a three clubs from Pots 1-3, arguably stronger teams, trying to qualify for the knockout stage as group winner or runner-up. But whilst the new system will give us six opponents from Pots 1-3, it’ll also provide two clubs from Pot 4; matches we might feel more optimistic about.

The combined 36-team league will also see no less than 24 clubs qualify for the knockout stage; the top eight teams going straight through to the Round of 16, with 9th to 16th playing 17th to 24th in a two-legged play-off round. 24 clubs, therefore, will play at least 10 matches.

Seeding Pots

League Phase Draw